Ice Cream With the Enemy
by Morbid Muse
Summary: A heart broken Fred meets someone in an ice cream shop. (Fred/Lindsey)


Author E-mail: Amandab9@aol.com  
  
Rated: light PG  
  
Spoilers: Well, let's see. I wrote this last May, so end of Season 3 on Angel. But there are no major plot spoilers at all.  
  
Summary: A heart broken Fred meets someone in an ice cream shop.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. yet!  
  
Author's Note: Right now we are pretending that Lindsey never left Los Angeles and that Fred would not recognize him if she saw him. We are even going as far as to pretend that Lindsey wouldn't recognize Fred if he saw her alone.  
  
Author's Note #2: Also, I really love Gunn and I know he'd never do this, but I didn't it too fit into the story. Don't hate me!  
  
Feedback: Yes, please!  
  
Warning: Border-line fluff here!  
Fred always loved ice cream.  
  
There was just something about the cold, sugary goodness sliding down your throat that she found irresistible. Give her a big pool of ice cream and she was as happy as can be. Usually.  
  
Today, however, this didn't seem to be the case.  
  
The sundae in front of her was more melted from the L.A. heat and her contently falling tears then it was eaten. Lazily picking up her plastic spoon, Fred let out a sigh as she turned the slush that was once a cold treat around in her bowl.  
  
Swirling a little from side to side on her stool, Fred let out another long sigh. This one hitched slightly, but Fred swore to herself two batches of tears ago that she wouldn't cry anymore.  
  
Apparently, judging by the fresh tracks rolling down her checks, yet another promise would be broken.  
  
Just like his promise. Like his promise to never break her heart. Just another broken promise when he told her they needed to stop dating. He said that they were just from different worlds with different ideas.  
  
Cordelia had tried to comfort Fred by saying that all men were lying animals. But Fred had really thought he was different. Gunn seemed so right, so. perfect.  
  
"3, point, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2..." Fred began in a shaky voice to calm herself but was cut off by someone's rude laughter.  
  
Fred's head snapped up. How dare this stranger laugh at her when she was trying to make herself feel better?  
  
"Sorry," he said between a few last chuckles. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I have just never met anyone will rattles off numbers seemingly at random. Unless, of course, I'm missing some reason for saying them out loud?"  
  
"No. Well, yes. It's the equation for pie. Reciting it helps me relax."  
  
The man in the suit nodded with a shrug before turning back to her bowl. The contents were being to resemble soup more than anything else at this point.  
  
The stranger, no matter how handsome he may be, was taking away time from her self pity.  
  
The stranger's eyes were on her. Fred could feel their stare, despite the fact she was facing the other way.  
  
"Didn't you ever learn any manners? It isn't polite to stare ya know."  
  
That corky grin was back. Fred could feel her face flush red with anger from that look. That and the stranger butterflies it seemed to make flutter from inside her.  
  
"That right?"  
  
"Yes, it is."  
  
He shrugged. "How 'bout I make it up to you by getting you another. well whatever you were originally eating."  
  
Guilt suddenly flashed through her. "No you don't have to."  
  
"I insist. Charlie!" Fred watched as the stocky man behind the counter came up to her stranger.  
  
Whoa! Her stranger? Where had that come from? He most definitely wasn't hers in any sense.  
  
Fred pulled away from such thoughts by listening intensely into the conversation.  
  
"Charlie, this is my new friend. Her ice cream swirl."  
  
"It was a Sundae."  
  
"Okay, her ice cream sundae melted and I was wondering if you could get her another one on me. And I'll have an ice cream float."  
  
Charlie, Fred assumed that had to be the man's name, gave a wide grin and nodded. He turned back and began to fetch the strangers order.  
  
"It's Lindsey, by the way," he casually told her.  
  
"Lindsey? Isn't that a girl's name?" Fred asked as her new sundae was handed to her by Charlie.  
  
Lindsey's eye brows arched up. "It can be a guys name too," he paused to take a slip of his float. He turned to her. "Now would usually be the time you tell me your name."  
  
A muscle flinch twitched up the corners of Fred's lips but she made sure it didn't turn into a grin. She was, after all, heartbroken because of Gunn.  
  
"My name's Fred."  
  
Lindsey let out that chuckle that first introduced him to her. Fred had the feeling she was being laughed at.  
  
"Oh, so Fred is a typical girl's name? I can't believe you made fun of my name while yours is Fred."  
  
For the second time since they met Fred's face began to turn slightly red. The combination of anger and embarrassment forced her to wait a few seconds before talking.  
  
"I didn't mean to make fun of your name."  
  
Fred's mind cried out at her. Why had she said that first? Why had she apologized for his being sensitive to her honesty?  
  
"And besides, my names not really Fred."  
  
Lindsey gave her an odd look. "So then when you told me that it was; it was just to, what, confuse me?"  
  
"Oh, no. See my nickname is Fred. My real name is Winifred. Real name meaning birth name. In old tradition tribes a person's real name meant. something which you don't care about," Fred decided as she scooped ice cream into her mouth before it suffered the same fate as her first order.  
  
Lindsey send her another look but just sat slurping his float.  
  
"Well, I've really got to go. I have a lot of work to do at home," he explained and Fred hoped she wasn't imagining the hint of regret laced in his voice.  
  
"Charlie? Could I pay now?" Lindsey shouted across towards the cash register.  
  
Charlie held up one finger to indicate he was busy at the moment.  
  
Fred let out a tiny giggle. "You must come here a lot. I mean, you know his name and all."  
  
Lindsey turned his attention back to her. "I live a block away so, yeah, I do come here a lot," he paused as if uncertain weather to go on or not. "Actually, I'll probably be back tomorrow. Around the same the same time and spot. Maybe I will even see you around sometime."  
  
This time Fred couldn't help the wide grin that spread out onto her face. Charlie came by and took gave the check to Lindsey. Lindsey barely glanced at it before handing Charlie several bills.  
  
"Thanks, Charlie, keep the change. Bye, Fred," Lindsey called before he turned and walked out the door.  
  
Fred's smile suddenly faded away.  
  
Charlie. Why hadn't she realized it before? Charlie. The name of her newly ex-boyfriend. How could she not have noticed? Lindsey must have distracted her. Lindsey who had subtly hinted at asking to see her again.  
  
The smile came back fully to light up her face. Fred began to swivel in her chair again as she thought of meeting Lindsey tomorrow.  
=(Amanda(= 


End file.
